Big Kahuna Triathlon Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

Craig M.
Sacramento, CA

  (09-23-2011)

"This was my first half Ironman so I did not know what to expect. I have done other tri's and other athletic events so I will compare this experience to those.

First the course was great. I love the challenge of an ocean swim. It kind of separates the men from the boys (so to speak). There were some swells out about 600 meters and a little wind chop on top of that and the water was 59 degrees, but all that makes for a very exciting warmup. The run from the beach to the transition area was longer than what I have come to expect, but again, it just added to the fact that this race distance is supposed to be hard. The bike was also good. Nice strong cross wind to make bike handling challenging (who wants an easy mamby pamby ride anyway). The traffic was not so bad, you just needed to exercise caution when passing. I found that the drivers all realized that a race was going on and left plenty of room. The turn around near Pigeon Point did take me by surprise, but that was because I had my head down and was trying to pass a very strong female rider (she eventually left me in the dust). Thank you to the police officer who screamed "Turn around". The run course was both friendly and again challenging. The middle portion was on dirt track complete with rocks, gravel, ruts and pedestrians (the run course was not closed). This made the run just that much more interesting. You never got bored trying to keep your footing and not break something. The begining of the run course was on the foot path (nice concrete wide path). The end of the run was on sand. Yep after about 70 miles of swimming, biking and running, you got to run the last little bit on the sand. Oh goody. But it was lined with spectators who cheered you on.

So with that I will comment on the crowd. They were great. Always cheering and very supportive. I really liked the crowd that turned out for this race.

Organization was good. I confess that I have not been to the biggies like Vineman or Wildflower, but I thought the organization was very good. The transition was well manned, they took great pains to protect our bikes and other equipment from growing feet and walking off and you always knew where you were going. The one thing I cannot compliment them on enough is that they had supporters for the entire time the course was open and did not run out of drinks and bananas for the participants on course. Some races I have been to the later racers don't get the water, HEED,etc because they have run out or closed early. These are most likely the racers who need that support the most, so "Great job".

Overall I think this was a great experience. I would definitely recommend this to anyone planning their first IM 70.3 and I would definitely do it again."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2011

Mike V.
San Francisco, CA

  (09-16-2011)

"For a look back at the race, a recap (less of a report, more of a retelling) of my great experience is here. Well, "great" is always relative :) http://mvtemporarytri.blogspot.com/

Review:
Gre at 70.3 race for Northern Cali residents, particularly Bay Area. I really valued being able to go down and train on the course a few times before the race. Race familiarity is such an underrated tool for success. Also a good race for first time 70.3ers and those looking to be quick - Highway 1 and it's rollers, run along the coast......much more on how I felt about the run course in my Race Recap linked above.

For not being a big dawg like Wildflower or Vineman, I think that this event is executed well by First Wave events. At no point did I feel there was a lack of organization. The expo, while small, was efficient, the transition areas were great with ground racks and decent space and the course was well staffed.

That last point is big for me. Nothing is worse than being on a course when you don't know which way to go while biking or running at high speeds. I didn't feel like this at any point on the race as things were well marked, but also, the volunteers were informed and attentive - huge.

The nutrition on the course was adequate. The only thing I'd say is that it took them awhile to put the location of nutrition on the website and they never answered my email about it. The food afterwards was good as well - tacos, fresh fruit and bagels. Would have liked to have seen some energy and/or protein drinks though.

Overall, a great experience for my family and me. Tiki trophies for podium finishers were a nice touch as well!



"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2011

Eddie Y.
San Ramon, CA

  (09-12-2011)

"Are you ready to do this?!? If so, get ready to race on a course that is relatively flat, fast, and BEAUTIFUL!

Expo: The expo is small with only a few booths set up - namely Sports Basement & Cliff Bar among others were there this year. Race Administration is also there for packet pickup and for registering last minute race entrants. The expo is set up at Depot Park, which is great because if you have kids, they can play while you are at the expo. Parking was a non-issue.

Swim: The swim is 1.2 mi clockwise around the Santa Cruz wharf coming out of the water at Cowell's beach. There were a few swells to swim through out beyond the pier but for the most part, it was wonderful. The course is very easy to navigate since you have a huge pier staring at you the entire time. And don't worry about the sea lions... they wont bite you unless they are hungry.

Transition Point: After you come out of the water from the swim, you will run a few blocks to the transition point, which is set up in the parking lot of Depot Park. There were plenty of racks and space available for your tri gear so no worries there.

Bike: The course takes you along HWY1 so it's very scenic. You'll have ocean views throughout most of the course which makes for a great ride. There are some ups and downs on this course but for the most part, you can switch gears to the big ring, tuck in the aero position, and CRANK IT! The only drawback to the bike course is the traffic you'll be sharing the road with, which means be careful when passing. Also, beware of the headwinds and crosswinds on this course, they were strong this year.

Run: The run is also along the ocean so you'll see gorgeous views on this out and back course. There's also a 5 foot tiki which marks the turnaround point - you can't miss it. The home stretch is along the beach where you'll have a dramatic finish filled with lots of spectators and supporters.

Overall, this triathlon is a smaller race with a beautiful course filled with great support from volunteers and spectators. Although this race is not as big and as organized as the M-Dot races, it's a good and fun race to try.

I'd do this race again."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2011

Marlene S.
Redwood City, CA

  (09-20-2010)

"Read complete blog here: http://www.accentfitness.net/accent-fitness/2010/09/second-o verall-women-winner-2010-big-kahuna-aquabike-31107.html

The actual event itself did not go very smoothly for me for a variety of reason. Incident #1, I had wanted to do a warm-up bike facilitation workout prior to the race. Since we were traveling and arriving in Santa Cruz on Saturday, I didn't feel like doing it in the afternoon. So I thought that I would have enough time in the early AM to ride for a little bit. However, I somehow forgot that the sun doesn't rise until close to 6:30AM and we had to be out of transition by 6:45AM to head to the beach. So my ride warm-up plans were scratched. I still arrived earlier and did a 2 mile warm-up jog with drills and stretches.

The main race was set to start at 7am but it was delayed by around 15-20 minutes as they were setting up the swim buoys or something. I had a good 15 minute warm-up in the ocean which was sufficient to get me acclimated to the cold water, although I could feel my feet were already getting numb. The swim course was around the Santa Cruz Pier for a distance of 1.2 miles. I had a really great swim. We caught up to the previous wave of swimmers and had to go over some of them but it went really well. After exiting the beach, I took off my wetsuit before heading back the 3 blocks into the transition area. This helped me tremendously as I was able to run much quicker than the folks still in their tight wetsuits, even with the upper body pulled down.

Unfortunately, my exit from T1 was poor. There is a small hill which I didn't have any issue with at the Santa Cruz Triathlon last month. However on this day, I wasn't able to get both feet on top of the shoes prior to taking one pedal stroke. So my left shoe hit the ground and I was stalled in place. I fumbled with it some more but couldn't get going. I ended up running up the hill and then finally mounted. I was pissed at myself but had to move on.

I started really strong on the bike for the first 10+ miles. Then incident #2 happened. There was a railroad crossing. I knew this because of my training ride however as I approached, I saw volunteers and racers grouping up. I guess that one or more racers had gone over the tracks too fast and with the dampness on the road, they had fallen. So volunteers were instructing the racers to dismount completely and walk the bikes. I was already in the process of slowing down but it was not capable of completely stopping in time. I ended up with one foot out of the pedals and one in and attempt to hop across. This backfired and I flew over to the ground. I was fine but when I started back up, my quick release brake on the front tire was pressed against the rim and made a horrible streaking sound. I corrected it and started off again. However, I soon realize that part of the brake was still rubbing and causing drag. However, because we were on Route 1 in the bike ride with weekend traffic on the course, I was hesitant to stop again in front of all of the on-coming racers. My friend Kristi had been telling me on the beach how she was crashed into at her last release when she attempted the same thing to pull over and fix her quick release brake. I went for several miles like this and probably should not have but eventually, I did stop again and fix it and proceed on.

Now to incident #3, I saw the Pigeon Point lighthouse approaching in the distance and then saw a bunch of cars backed up at an intersection, honking at each other. The racers were slowing down so I started to slow down but didn't realize that this was the actual U-turn around. I then had to brake really hard and skidded a bit. I wish there had been a flagger or volunteer or some indication that this was the turnaround. In theory, I would have been able to tell with the cones but since there was all of these cars backed up and waiting, I couldn't see any cones.

Incident #4, now headed on the way back I am hoping that all of my issues have been resolved. However, what happened next was completely surprising and unacceptable. There was a male racer whom I passed, maybe one or more times, as many of us had to go back and forth to remain out of the draft zone as the race progressed. I guess he did not like the way that I passed him so he came back in front of me, cut me off and force me to swerve to the right and then yelled something like "that's how you passed me..what's wrong with you.. where did you learn to ride??" I really couldn't believe this was occurring in a triathlon race. Normally there is such a sense of community and helpfulness during triathlon events. Thinking smart, I didn't respond or even acknowledge this sad excuse for a male racer. I just pressed forwarded, now even more driven to ride hard so that he couldn't catch me again, and I succeeded on this front. There was a headwind heading back but it didn't phase me at all. I pushed hard til the end.

Incident #5: This was actual post race. I was not in the greatest of moods upon finishing this event so I grabbed my stuff quickly from transition and headed back to the hotel for a shower before we had to check out. Then when we returned home, I realized that I had left my wetsuit in TRANSITION! So John actually drove all of the way back to Santa Cruz, found my wetsuit and came home. Hopefully I will never repeat that mistake ever again as well!

On the more positive note, I did win 2nd place overall female and received a cool Hawaii statute prize. All things considered, I probably won't do this event again though due to the fact that the bike course of Route 1 is not closed and it was very sketchy to conduct all of the passing and maneuvering. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2010

Heather Z.
San Francisco, CA

  (09-16-2010)

"This was my first half Ironman and it was pretty great. The course is beautiful, ocean swim, highway 1 big ride, and a gorgeous run along the ocean.

The course was well marked, GREAT volunteers, very good support along ride and run.

The only downside was the long run from the ocean to the transition. The run is on asphalt and can rip up your feet if you don't have tough soles. The race organizers didn't highlight this long run and I didn't find out about it till packet pick up the day before. One of the volunteers told me to leave sandals to run in next to the bathroom, it worked perfectly. Not too many people did this and those who did were typical triathletes, all the shoes were lined up perfectly in a row next to the shower. It just took a second to wash off your feet slip on the sandals and run to the transition area.

Also the race ends on the beach, the last quarter mile is running on sand. Not exactly what you want at the end of a 70 mile race.

The race was spectacular, lots of volunteers, great crowds, amazing scenery. I only took a star off for organization because of the long run after the swim to the transition. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2010

Brianna H.
San Francisco, CA

  (05-05-2010)

"Not gonna lie- since this is my first half I was pretty bummed about the swim cancellation and the fact I can\'t officially say I\'ve joined the 70.3 club. There are no stickers that say 69.1!!

With that said the race directors handled the situation well and we started the race with the run from the beach to the transition area and it was just tacked on to our overall bike time.

I had done the bike course before with a training group and during our practice run there was a GREAT deal of headwind on the way out and tailwind on the way back. During the race we had barely any wind on the way out though, and I actually felt a bit of headwind heading back. Much better race conditions and I finished the bike about a half hour under what I expected.

Both the bike and run were beautiful, scenic courses with the sparkling beach at our side and really cool views of the Santa Cruz boardwalk in the home stretch.

The most interesting part of this race is the final stretch on the sand which is much longer than you initially expect (I was also told by 2 people the run officially clocks in at 13.44mi). People are playing in the water, kids are everywhere, and you\'re just struggling to run by the tiki torches to follow the way to the finish with the least amount of deep sand as possible. So many supporters are gathered at that point though and cheering you on that it really does feel amazing!

The volunteers at the water stops and along the course were amazing and so supportive. My friends and I were also talking post-race about the random 7 year old kid who was standing at a point on the bike cheering everyone on all alone- kind of strange but such a nice surprise!

GO TEAM!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Sean G.
Palo Alto, CA

  (11-10-2009)

"What a bummer! The race was scheduled to start at 7 am on Oct 25? Sunrise was 7:27. Once it started to get light the fog (fog in Santa Cruz?) became a problem. The swim was cancelled for safety reasons which actually was the right thing to do but better planning would have allowed for the swim to happen. By the time the relay swimmers (I was one of them) were given the gun to run from the beach to the transition area it was a beautiful day. A credit for next years race for those of us that paid $110 to run from the beach to the parking lot would make me feel much better and mostly out of principal. I sent two emails requesting one and did not even get a response! I understand acts of "nature" but this was an act of ignorance. I guess I could enjoy the t-shirt....but what will I say when people ask about the race?"

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2009

Lauren S.
San Francisco, CA

  (11-06-2009)

"Half IM is LONG! The swim was cancelled due to heavy fog in the morning, but the weather was BEAUTIFUL for the bike and run. Long run on concrete/roads to the transition area from the beach, hoefully next time they will clear out the dog droppings and rocks along the way.

Bike course is absolutely beautiful and relatively flat. Course is NOT closed to traffic, so passing on the bike can be a bit hectic. Wind is at your back on the return trip, so it's okay to go out harder on the first half.
Run is an out and back on road, some dirt, and bike paths. Aid stations every mile with friendly and helpful volunteers. Run ends on the beach in a dramatic, but not cleared finish. There were lots of people/athletes walking and standing in the 'course'.
"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Melinda L.
San Francisco, CA

  (11-04-2009)

"Big Kahuna is by far one of my favorite 1/2-Ironman courses. The swim is around the Santa Cruz Wharf, which makes sighting really easy. As other reviewers have mentioned, the swim was cancelled this year on account of the fog. This has not happened in the previous two times I've raced Big Kahuna, as the race typically is held in September. The transition area is a bit of a jog away. I've found that my feet are usually too numb to feel the concrete though.

The bike course is absolutely gorgeous! Love riding along the coast. Lots of rollers out to the lighthouse and back. Beware of the train tracks... make sure to go perpendicular to the tracks! The run course goes along the beach and then off on a trail. Once back in town, it goes along the beach. Try to run close to the water where the sand is more packed.

The race is relatively small so the expo is small. The crowds are pretty small too... although the Team in Training people are great at cheering! One thing I really like is that they give out women's technical t-shirts. Not a fan of the men's cotton t-shirts. "

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2009

David N.
San Francisco, CA

  (10-28-2009)

"Big Kahuna is always a blast. This year was a little disappointing since the swim was cancelled. What were they thinking...it was only a little fog ;)

Both the bike and run are out and back courses.

As always the bike was great. They always have plenty of aid stations along the route. You do have to watch out for the railroad tracks. They can be a little tricky.

Last year I was not so keen on the run. I sprained my ankle around mile 4 and limped along until mile 8 where a friend caught up with me and gave me some advil (ah the wonder drug).

This year I was feeling strong and was really able to appreciate the fact that you get to see all of the people you know whether they are ahead or behind you."

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2009

Adam R.
Davis, CA

  (10-26-2009)

"Fantastic race. Plenty of aid stations, good organization. The swim was canceled due to heavy fog, but that was out of the hands of the coordinators.
The transition area was more crowded than transition areas usually are (racks too close together)."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Geoff L.
San Mateo, CA

  (10-25-2009)

"With the race fresh in my mind, I wanted to hurry up and review. Unfortunately, we had to skip the swim this year due to heavy fog causing poor visibility. Although a huge disappointment, the race directors took it in stride and formulated a quick plan that went smoothly. Most people were understanding and there was little grunting. The bike course is a scenic one with MANY rolling hills along highway one. Personally, i felt the course was a fast one..at least on the way out(although i probably hammered too hard as evident on my split coming back). (I've also never done a duathlon)

Anyway, the bike course was well organized with many capable volunteers at the aid station. The traffic was not a factor as policemen and volunteers were numerous.

The run was mostly uneventful, but dodging tourist on beach cruisers was not fun. Most were fairly aware of our presence tho. Again the volunteers were great and cheered with the utmost enthusiasm. Also, i was very impressed with my fellow triathletes and level of support in lifting each other up.

The transition area was "meh" as the racks definitely could have been spaced out further.

Also, i agree with previous reviews of Hammer products...If i do this again, i think i'll invest in a fuelbelt.

Overall a good race. I HATE the packet pick up process...what is with races nowadays?...if you are going to make us drive down the day before, at least make the expo worthwhile...if i wanted to go to buy something, i'd rather just go to sports basement, not a sports basement tent. just my thought...

thats all for now...i have to go swim 1.2 miles. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Dennis M.
San Francisco, CA

  (08-11-2009)

"Swim: Wave start on the beach. Water is mild, with little current or chop. Pier is right there next to you, so sighting is easy.

T1 involves a run up the beach and down a street. Not long, but longer than most. There are water buckets to wash your feet off when you get to T1.

Bike: Awesome course. After some residential pedaling the course opens up to some beautiful views. Course can be windy and there definitely are some hills, but I'd still say it's a pretty fast course.

Run: Awesome! Starts with an uphill, then you run along the coastline (on a sidewalk overlooking the water), then transition to a dirt course that's got a little elevation in it, but not much. Feels like a fast cross country run.

The last half mile or so is ON the beach. So save a little bit for the finish, you'll need it."

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2008

Mike S.
San Francisco, CA

  (08-10-2009)

"Beautiful scenery, fast course. Strong head wind out on bike but strong tail wind on return as well. Use your aeros. Pack anything you need, I wasn't impressed with the aid stations. The run is gorgeous! "

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2006

Kevin H.
San Francisco, CA

  (06-08-2009)

"Beautiful course, great finish on the beach with a great food layout and live music."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008

Jeremiah S.
San Francisco, CA

  (04-23-2009)

"It's a solid 70.3, but nothing too fantastic. The swim seemed a bit short to me, but that could be because I was swimming for my life to avoid the sea lions on the pier. The bike is about as flat as you can find locally, and is almost all aerobars. The run was quite warm, and my friend measured it out at 14 miles, so a bit long. The turnaround always seemed too far away..."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2007

Paul M.
san francisco, CA

  (04-23-2009)

"I really liked this race. It was my first half-IM distance race, and I couldn't have asked for more. The scenery on the bike ride and the run was fantastic - bluffs on the California coast. AND they hand out AMAZING burritos at the finish, mmm

A few things I didn't like:
- not super organized (at least when compared to M-dot races)
- they used Hammer products which are gross
- the swim is not the most fun - santa cruz water is cold, choppy and dirty
- the beach finish is kind of evil
- not many hotels/restaurants near-by

Overall, I really liked this race (even though I said more negatives). It is a cost-effective half-IM distance race from which I still vividly remember the views."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008

Gregory L.
San Francisco, CA

  (04-23-2009)

"The big kahuna triathlon is one of the best known tris in northern california, which means you get a good mix of newbies all the way up to the pros. Overall it's a very good race.

The swim is in the pacific ocean, which can be a bit chilly, but not too bad when combined w/ santa cruz weather :).

The bike portion of the race is not too challenging, mostly rolling hills but it can get a bit annoying because you're riding on highway 1 w/ traffic ideally in as close to single file order as possible. That day there also happened to be a MASSIVE headwind on the way out. Biggest issue for me was that the mile markers weren't consistent. I believe they missed the 40 mile marker.

The run made up for it, beautiful and scenic along the coast. Only downside was the use of hammer products which are GROSS IMHO.

But w/ a little tweaking this could easily become a great race, and with it's great proximity to the bay area, I'm sure i'll be back again."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008